Executive Design Director - Brand, Product & Experience

About the Role

We are seeking an Executive Design Director to join our team at Metalab. This remote role is perfect for a visionary leader ready to shape the future of creative design across brand, product, and experience. You will work primarily during PST business hours, with a preference for candidates who can overlap with EST to ensure collaboration across time zones.

What You'll Do

• Lead by example, defining and evolving Metalab's product and brand design vision to ensure alignment across teams and client work.
• Coach senior design leaders and project teams, providing clear, actionable feedback and long-term career guidance.
• Model creative excellence in your own work, actively participating in pitches, reviews, and live projects.
• Own design quality across the department, offering constructive feedback to uphold and elevate creative standards.
• Guide strategic direction across brand and product design engagements, ensuring client and business outcomes are met at every stage.
• Oversee the creation and refinement of brand systems that integrate seamlessly into product experiences.
• Push creative boundaries by integrating motion, 3D, and interaction design to create immersive brand moments.
• Collaborate with design leadership to influence design department direction and operations.

Requirements

• At least 12 years of experience in brand and product design, with a minimum of 2 years in a senior director or executive role.
• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and large-scale product-led brand engagements.
• Fluency in modern design tools and emerging AI tooling.
• Strong facilitation and communication skills, with the ability to guide workshops and strategic sessions.
• A track record of elevating design communities through mentorship and constructive critique.

Nice to Have

• Experience presenting to and influencing executive stakeholders.
• Active engagement in the design community through thought leadership or speaking opportunities.
• Deep knowledge of design trends and the evolving role of design in the digital ecosystem.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary ranging from $180,000 to $220,000 per year.
• Flexible remote work environment with a focus on work-life balance.
• Opportunities for professional development and mentorship.
• A diverse and inclusive workplace culture.
• Engagement in high-impact projects that shape the future of design.